Ashley ✓

One | Carmen Santiago

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SOTC (Song of the chapter): Paparazzi by Lady Gaga

Cover by meha-k

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

Carmen Santiago struck my caprese salad as she shrieked it, and my eyes peered to the left as it flung off my table. The plate it rested on smashed into pieces, its contents scattering on the cafeteria floor.

She sucked in a jagged breath as she then continued:

"My boyfriend took me to meet his parents the day those pictures got out! You know, Scott Kade, the football captain? He kissed me, texted me every morning and night to make sure I ate when all I wanted to do was see my ribs, he shared his life with me, and he thought I paid him— PAID US back by sharing my body with the football team!"

Gasps rang out from the Mother Teresa High School students all around me, who spectated whole ordeal with eyes about to pop out of their shelters.

"And as I cried while the love of my life shouted at me, wishing I'd go to hell for betraying him, I couldn't fathom who would do that to me!" She chuckled through her tears, "And then people told me they saw you go through my phone in Mrs. Smith's phone cubby when I accidentally left it unlocked!"

I exhaled a steady current of air through my nose.

"And then you found my photos." Carmen vacuumed another breath through her parted lips as she croaked, "Which were for him and only him to see, but you took them and made them a weapon so I could be your next victim."

The gasps from the spectators had turned to quiet yet audible whispers of my name as I crossed my legs, my eyes drinking her disheveled state in.

She sniffed. "I'm not going to hit you, or shout at you or scream at you anymore. Because it will never, ever bring back the love of my boyfriend's life whose body wasn't on his teammates phones."

"Just why did you do it?" Carmen finished with a sob.

The cafeteria had gone silent as her hand caressed the bottom portion of her discolored face.

Finally, I said with a dopamine-inducing smile:

"I'm going to get some food."

Carmen Santiago choked, uncovering her jaw that could've unhinged and free fell through the Earth's crust. And the way she began to stutter incoherently as everyone in the cafeteria began laughing?

Fucking priceless.

With that I got up and walked away, my heels echoing against the floor as I left the scene.

Because I am Ashley.

Well that wasn't very cash money of you, miss girl...

(FYI, whenever there's underlined bold, it is an author's note)

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